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Re: FineYoungSinger - that's it exactly, in some cases not only taking
You said it, my friend.
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on October 2, 2007 at 12:48 PM
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A-and-B - internet evangelizing has to be considered the lazy man's way
Any field of endeavor that relies on the personality or persona of a public speaker to prompt subscription cannot be initiated from the impersonal platform of the internet. The big guys in this business, the Benny Hinns and the Pat Robertson types, do not utilize the internet for anything more than secondary information and retail outlets. Not one of them built their ministries through the internet but only face to face with real people.
posted by
gomedome
on September 30, 2007 at 9:23 PM
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I wish you were wrong, Gome...
But I'm afraid you're right. On this note, please check out my latest post:
SILENCE IN SYRIA, PANIC IN IRAN.
posted by
arGee
on September 30, 2007 at 7:58 PM
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I don't think internet evangelization can work. It can maintain interest with the believers, not win new converts. Not unless great material bribes are given out.
posted by
A-and-B
on September 30, 2007 at 7:35 PM
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arGee -you need not try to convince me that the mindless god gang is worthy
of our concern.
I've been repeating a warning against this for 30 years. Almost to a point of being a mantra, I've tried to get people to listen but until recent years and the subsequent manifestation of the horror I had envisioned, I was for the most part simply talking to myself. I foresee this nonsense escalating until we come to the realization that we are being forced to step outside of our mold. Measures never before considered will eventually be seen as the only solutions.
posted by
gomedome
on September 30, 2007 at 1:04 PM
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FineYoungSinger - that's it exactly, in some cases not only taking
themselves far too seriously but also taking this venue and format far too seriously.
The biggest source of humor in all of this is the stakes (or what is at stake), less than nothing would be my assessment. We are on a private member's site exchanging differences of opinion seen by a few dozen people, most of whom will never be swayed one way or another by anything that they read here. How could the stakes possibly be more miniscule? This leaves us with attempting to convince someone of an opposing viewpoint that our viewpoint has more merit than theirs, something that I would not be foolish enough or naieve enough to attempt. But this does not mean that others are not stupid enough to attempt this. By the time I express my opinions in a public forum, they have been fleshed out to the degree where I am completely confident that they are right. This does not mean that my opinions are right, none of us is perfect, it only means that I'm not floundering in the process of attempting to convince myself, while at the same time attempting to convince others.
posted by
gomedome
on September 30, 2007 at 12:53 PM
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And by the way...
Didn't Yogi Berra once say: "No one is as smart as he is?" (Or something to that effect)
posted by
arGee
on September 30, 2007 at 8:02 AM
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In the midst of my chuckle, Gome...
I paused to reflect...We are in a world-wide life-and-death struggle with a mindless god-gang. There is nothing superficial or pitiful about them. They are deadly serious and very determined. If we do nothing, we will all die – and that should scare the crap out of you.
One other more trite observation. As a good writer, you take on the witless wonders at Bloggit in (as you yourself admit) superficial, trivial conversation, and you have to employ blocking just to keep your responders under control. I'm a good writer with five published books and hundreds of articles. On Blogit I write about the wonders and whimsy of science, keep an eye on terrorism, and supply occasional ironic comments about life in the fast lane. I can count my regular readers on one (possibly two) hand(s). Does that say something...?
posted by
arGee
on September 30, 2007 at 7:59 AM
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Sometimes I think folks just take themselves way too seriously.
If one can't stand alone and be at peace with him/herself and what they believe, regardless the belief, lashing out becomes the next step, rather than examining what within myself does not sit well with my ideal. It's far easier for me to destract myself from my own inadequacies by pointing out yours than it is to face them. But it's much more productive to look at myself, and I think you've pointed out a very important step in this process. Bravo for choosing the laughter and standing at peace with yourself.
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on September 30, 2007 at 7:23 AM
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Whysper - I don't know if I agree with your statement
"There is no such thing as superior mentality, . . . " unless as a euphamism for reminding ourselves that no one is as smart as we think we are.
posted by
gomedome
on September 29, 2007 at 11:05 PM
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Who are we, but pawns in the churning chaos of the universe
There is no such thing as superior mentality, no one has a full deck, the crazy ones are the ones who think they do.
Have you ever played solitar with a pinocle deck? Now that's funny.
posted by
Whysper
on September 29, 2007 at 10:19 PM
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saul_relative - what choice do we have but to laugh at ourselves when we
have let ourselves be drawn into such a thing?
One cannot claim to be evolved if those who are not can continually engage them in pettiness and pointless conflict.
posted by
gomedome
on September 29, 2007 at 9:40 PM
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Talion - that encapsulates how it went fairly well
It is a completely pointless endeavor, the only defenses I have for being a party to it are the reality that it increases readership and I did keep it under wraps by using the blocking utility for 20 of the last 30 months. I did relent once against my better judgement, the same old arguments resurfaced with a vengeance shortly thereafter. The blocking utility was used again. But some people cannot take a hint, even if it hits them between the eyes like a two by four. I did not mention that there is as much pity as humor in this ongoing episode, but there surely is.
posted by
gomedome
on September 29, 2007 at 9:35 PM
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The problem remains, gomedome, that many of these people are mentally
inferior by choice, not by lack of capacity. Somehow, I think you know that.
But I respect a man who can laugh at himself...
posted by
saul_relative
on September 29, 2007 at 9:24 PM
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gomedome
Most debates begin with the opposing sides advocating a logical point of view. As the debate intensifies, emotions often rise and subsequently logic falls, resulting in the typical slings and arrows. Once emotion overtakes reason, the debate is done. What remains is an endless unwinnable argument. In your recent "confrontation," the opposite is true. It began with emotion disguised as logic. There was no gradual decay. It was at its lowest point from the start.
Agree or else feel my self righteous wrath. There's no point in discussing anything with a person like that. Even defending your character becomes impossible if the accusations aren't based on anything concrete. It's a completely pointless endeavor.
posted by
Talion
on September 29, 2007 at 9:13 PM
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